Fate of Ananias and Sapphira

1 But a man° named° Ananias°, with his wife° Sapphira°, sold° a piece° of property°,
2 and akept° back° [some] of the price° for himself, with his wife’s°Ifull° knowledge°, and bringing° a portion° of it, he blaid° it at the apostles’° feet°.
3 But Peter° said°, “Ananias°, why°° has aSatan° filled° your heart° to lie°bto the Holy° Spirit° and to ckeep° back° [some] of the price° of the land°?
4 While it remained° [unsold], did it not remain° your own? And after it was sold°, was it not Iunder° your control°? Why° is it that you have IIconceived° this° deed° in your heart°? You have not lied° to men° but ato God°.”
5 And as he heard° these° words°, Ananias°afell° down° and breathed° his last°; and bgreat° fear° came° over° all° who heard° of it.
6 The young° men° got° up and acovered° him up, and after carrying° him out, they buried° him.

7 ¶ Now° there elapsed° an interval° of about° three° hours°, and his wife° came° in, not knowing° what had happened°.
8 And Peter° responded° to her, “Tell° me whether° you sold° the land°Iafor such° and such° a price°?” And she said°, “Yes°, Ithat was the price°.”
9 Then° Peter° [said] to her, “Why° is it that you have agreed° together° to aput°bthe Spirit° of the Lord° to the test°? Behold°, the feet° of those° who have buried° your husband° are at the door°, and they will carry° you out [as well].”
10 And immediately° she afell° at his feet° and breathed° her last°, and the young° men° came° in and found° her dead°, and they carried° her out and buried° her beside° her husband°.
11 And agreat° fear° came° over° the whole° church°, and over° all° who heard° of these° things°.

12 ¶ IAt the hands° of the apostles° many°asigns° and wonders° were taking° place° among° the people°; and they were all° with one° accord° in bSolomon’s° portico°.
13 But none° of the rest° dared° to associate° with them; however°, athe people° held° them in high° esteem°.
14 And all° the more°abelievers° in the Lord°, multitudes° of men° and women°, were constantly badded° to [their number],
15 to such° an extent° that they even° carried° the sick° out into the streets° and laid° them on cots° and pallets°, so° that when Peter° came° by aat least° his shadow° might fall° on any° one° of them.
16 Also° the Ipeople° from the cities° in the vicinity° of Jerusalem° were coming° together°, bringing° people who were sick°IIor° afflicted° with unclean° spirits°, and they were all° being healed°.

Imprisonment and Release

17 ¶ But the high° priest° rose° up, along° with all° his associates° (that is athe sect° of bthe Sadducees°), and they were filled° with jealousy°.
18 They laid° hands° on the apostles° and aput° them in a public° jail°.
19 But during° the night°aan angel° of the Lord° opened° the gates° of the prison°, and taking° them out he said°,
20 “Go°, stand° and Ispeak° to the people° in the temple°IIathe whole° message° of this° Life°.”
21 Upon hearing° [this], they entered° into the temple°aabout° daybreak° and [began] to teach°.

¶ Now° when bthe high° priest° and his associates° came°, they called°cthe ICouncil° together°, even° all° the Senate° of the sons° of Israel°, and sent° [orders] to the prison° house° for them to be brought°.
22 But athe officers° who came° did not find° them in the prison°; and they returned° and reported° back,
23 saying°, “We found° the prison° house° locked° quite° securely° and the guards° standing° at the doors°; but when we had opened° up, we found° no° one° inside°.”
24 Now° when°athe captain° of the temple° [guard] and the chief° priests° heard° these° words°, they were greatly° perplexed° about° them as to what°Iwould come° of this°.
25 But someone° came° and reported° to them, “The men° whom° you put° in prison° are standing° in the temple° and teaching° the people°!”
26 Then°athe captain° went° along° with bthe officers° and [proceeded] to bring° them [back] without°° violence° (for cthey were afraid° of the people°, that they might be stoned°).

27 ¶ When they had brought° them, they stood° them Ibefore°athe Council°. The high° priest° questioned° them,
28 saying°, “We gave° you astrict° orders° not to continue teaching° in this° name°, and Iyet°, you have filled° Jerusalem° with your teaching° and bintend° to bring° this° man’s° blood° upon us.”
29 But Peter° and the apostles° answered°, “aWe must° obey° God° rather° than° men°.
30aThe God° of our fathers°braised° up Jesus°, Iwhom° you had cput° to death° by hanging° Him on a IIcross°.
31aHe is the one whom God° exalted°Ito His right° hand° as a IIbPrince° and a cSavior°, to grant°drepentance° to Israel°, and forgiveness° of sins°.
32 And we are awitnesses°Iof these° things°; and b[so is] the Holy° Spirit°, whom° God° has given° to those° who obey° Him.”

Gamaliel’s Counsel

33 ¶ But when they heard° this, they were acut°Ito the quick° and intended° to kill° them.
34 But a Pharisee° named°aGamaliel°, a bteacher° of the Law°, respected° by all° the people°, stood° up in cthe Council° and gave° orders° to put° the men° outside° for a short° time°.
35 And he said° to them, “Men° of Israel°, take° care° what° you propose° to do° with these° men°.
36 For some° time° ago° Theudas° rose° up, aclaiming° to be somebody°, and a group° of about° four° hundred° men° joined° up with him. IBut he was killed°, and all° who°IIfollowed° him were dispersed° and came° to nothing°.
37 After° this° man°, Judas° of Galilee° rose° up in the days° of athe census° and drew° away° [some] people° after° him; he too° perished°, and all° those who°Ifollowed° him were scattered°.
38 So° in the present° case°, I say° to you, stay° away° from these° men° and let° them alone°, for if° this° plan° or°Iaction°ais of men°, it will be overthrown°;
39 but if° it is of God°, you will not be able° to overthrow° them; or° else° you may even° be found°afighting° against° God°.”

40 ¶ They Itook° his advice°; and after calling° the apostles° in, they aflogged° them and ordered° them not to IIspeak° in the name° of Jesus°, and [then] released° them.
41 So° they went° on their way° from the presence° of the IaCouncil°, brejoicing° that they had been considered° worthy° to suffer° shame°cfor [His] name°.
42aAnd every° day°, in the temple° and Ifrom house° to house°, they IIkept°° right°° on teaching° and IIIbpreaching° Jesus° [as] the IVChrist°.